There already exists a device (JP 7081858) that displays different information for elevator passengers, such as date, weather, day of the week and season, and may be used for virtual monitoring of the building's exterior.
This device contains an information generator and an internal monitoring device inside the elevator car.
The drawback of this device is its inability to display the exterior of the building where the elevator is located in real time.
There is yet another well-known device (JP 11079580) for monitoring the exterior of elevator-equipped buildings. It includes one video camera positioned outside the building, a controller, a display screen in the elevator car and an elevator position indicator. Controller output is fed directly into the monitor.
The video camera is attached to the outer wall of the building at mid-floor, so that the camera's lens could move vertically and sideways to allow for monitoring of the building's exterior from the first floor to the top floor.
The drawback of this device is that a single camera (rather than multiple cameras at different floors) installed at a fixed location (in this case, at mid-height of the building) will produce a distorted image on the display as the elevator moves up or down.
Besides, any mechanical devices on the outer wall of the building (the device for moving the lens or the entire video camera) must be maintained against the elements (lubrication, spare part replacement, etc.).
There is yet another well-known device (RU 55756 U1) for monitoring exteriors of elevator-equipped buildings. It includes a video camera positioned outside the building, a display screen in the elevator car, a controller and an elevator position indicator. Controller output is fed directly into the monitor. The device contains one or more additional video cameras positioned along the vertical span of the building and a multiplexer. Feed cables from the cameras are connected, respectively, to the 1st, 2nd, . . . nth input sockets of the multiplexer, which is in turn connected to the first input socket of the controller; the output socket of the elevator position indicator is connected to the second input socket of the controller.
This device is based on the above design.
Using this device, one can monitor the building's exterior from inside the elevator, with video signal being fed in from fixed observation points alongside the vertical span of the building.
However, this device does not allow for monitoring video feeds from observation points located at a distance from the building where the elevator is located.